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Old Town (Lviv)
Encyclopedia
Lviv's Old Town is the historic centre of the western Ukrainian
city of Lviv
, in the Lviv Oblast
(province
), recognized as the State Historic-Architectural Sanctuary in 1975.
(Japan
), Lviv was included to the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO gave the following reasons for its selection:
The territory of the Lviv Historic Centre Ensemble covers 120 hectares (296.5 acre) of the Old Russ and Medieval part of the city, as well as the territory of the St. George’s Cathedral
on St. George’s Hill. The buffer area of the Historic Centre, which is defined by the historic area bounds, is approximately 3000 hectares (7,413.2 acre).
Beside the listed items of three major areas there are some 2,007 other historical landmarks within the Old City's area, 214 of which are considered national landmarks.
Pidzamche (Sub-castle)
Seredmistia (Middletown)
Church of St.Yura (St.George), the Dragonfighter
Not part of the World Heritage Site
Ukraine
Ukraine is a country in Eastern Europe. It has an area of 603,628 km², making it the second largest contiguous country on the European continent, after Russia...
city of Lviv
Lviv
Lviv is a city in western Ukraine. The city is regarded as one of the main cultural centres of today's Ukraine and historically has also been a major Polish and Jewish cultural center, as Poles and Jews were the two main ethnicities of the city until the outbreak of World War II and the following...
, in the Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast
Lviv Oblast is an oblast in western Ukraine. The administrative center of the oblast is the city of Lviv.-History:The oblast was created as part of the Ukrainian Soviet Socialist Republic on December 4, 1939...
(province
Administrative divisions of Ukraine
Ukraine is subdivided into 24 oblasts , one autonomous republic, and two "cities with special status".- Overview :...
), recognized as the State Historic-Architectural Sanctuary in 1975.
UNESCO
Since 1998, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) lists Lviv's historic center as part of "World Heritage". On 5 December 1998, during the 22nd Session of the World Heritage Committee in KyotoKyoto
is a city in the central part of the island of Honshū, Japan. It has a population close to 1.5 million. Formerly the imperial capital of Japan, it is now the capital of Kyoto Prefecture, as well as a major part of the Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto metropolitan area.-History:...
(Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
), Lviv was included to the UNESCO World Heritage List. UNESCO gave the following reasons for its selection:
The territory of the Lviv Historic Centre Ensemble covers 120 hectares (296.5 acre) of the Old Russ and Medieval part of the city, as well as the territory of the St. George’s Cathedral
St. George's Cathedral, Lviv
St. George's Cathedral is a baroque-rococo cathedral located in the city of Lviv, the historic capital of western Ukraine. It was constructed between 1744-1760 on a hill overlooking the city. This is the third manifestation of a church to inhabit the site since the 13th century, and its prominence...
on St. George’s Hill. The buffer area of the Historic Centre, which is defined by the historic area bounds, is approximately 3000 hectares (7,413.2 acre).
List of featured landmarks
Pidzamche (Sub-castle)
- Vysokyi Zamok (High CastleLviv High CastleThe Lviv High Castle or Lviv Castle Hill is a historic castle located on one of the hills of the Western Ukrainian city of Lviv. It is currently the highest point in the city, 413 metres above sea level....
) and Pidzamche (Sub-castle) neighborhood, the original center of the city also containing the neighborhood of Old Market, the castle was preserved in ruins, however the general area of the city is better known for its name - Church of St.Nicolas, the family church of the Halychyna (Ruthenian) kings
- Church of St.Paraskeva-Praxedia (Good Friday), contains 1740 inconostasis of the church by Fedor Senkovych
- Church of St.Onuphrius and Basilian MonasteryChurch of St. Onuphrius, LvivThe Basilian monastery and Greek Catholic church of St. Onuphrius in Lviv, Ukraine is located north of the Old Town, at the base of the Castle Hill....
, contains artworks of Lazar Paslavsky and Modest Sosenko - Church of St.John the Baptist (today - Museum of Lviv Ancient relics), the church was dedicated to the Hungarian wife of King LeoLeo I of HalychLev I of Galicia became in turn Knyaz of Belz , Knyaz of Peremyshl, king of Halych and King of Rus' , Grand Prince of Kiev .-Family:...
, Constance, a daughter of King Béla IVBéla IV of HungaryBéla IV , King of Hungary and of Croatia , duke of Styria 1254–58. One of the most famous kings of Hungary, he distinguished himself through his policy of strengthening of the royal power following the example of his grandfather Bela III, and by the rebuilding Hungary after the catastrophe of the... - Church of Snowy Mary (today - Church of Mother of God's Unwearying help), the church of German colonists of the city
Seredmistia (Middletown)
- Ensemble of Rynok (Market) SquareMarket Square (Lviv)The Rynok Square in Lviv is a central square of the city of Lviv, Ukraine. It was planned in the second half of the 14th century, following granting city rights by Polish king Casimir III, who annexed Red Ruthenia...
, contains Lviv Rathaus (center) and square perimeter of housing surrounding it - Ensemble of the Church of AssumptionDormition Church, LvivThe Dormition or Assumption Church is the main Orthodox church in the city of Lviv, Ukraine. At present it is leased to the Ukrainian Autocephalous Orthodox Church....
, beside the church includes Chapel of Three Prelates and Korniakt's Tower - Ensemble of Armenian Church, beside the church includes a belfry, a column with statue of St.Christopher, a building of former Armenian bank, a palace of the Armenian archbishops, Benedictine Armenian convent
- Ensemble of Latin Metropolitan CathedralLatin Cathedral, LvivThe Archcathedral Basilica of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, in Lviv, in western Ukraine, usually called simply the Latin Cathedral , is located in city's Old Town, in the south western corner of market square....
, beside the cathedral of St.Mary includes Boims' Chapel and Kampians' Chapel - Ensemble of Bernardine MonasteryBernardine Church, LvivThe Bernardine church and monastery in Lviv is located in the city's Old Town, south of the market square. The monastery along with the Roman Catholic church of St. Andrew, today the Greek Catholic church of St. Andrew, now belong the Order of St...
(today - Church of St.Andrew), includes cathedral, monastery, belfry, rotunda, decorative colon, and defensive walls - Ensemble of the Jesuit Cathedral and CollegiumJesuit Church, LvivThe Jesuit Church in Lviv is dedicated to Sts. Peter and Paul. When constructed in the 1610 and 1620s, it was one of the largest churches in the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth. Sebastian Lachmius, a monk, based his design for the church on that of Il Gesu in Rome...
- Ensemble of Dominican ChurchDominican Church, LvivThe Dominican church and monastery in Lviv, Ukraine is located in the city's Old Town, east of the market square. It was originally built as the Roman Catholic church of Corpus Christi, and today serves as the Greek Catholic church of the Holy Eucharist....
(today - Museum of history and religion), beside the church includes monastery and belfry - City's fortifications include the City's Arsenal, the Gunpowder Tower, the Turners and Rope-makers' Tower, the Royal Arsenal, a bastion of lower defense wall
- House of the "Dnister" Insurance Company
Church of St.Yura (St.George), the Dragonfighter
- St. George’s CathedralSt. George's Cathedral, LvivSt. George's Cathedral is a baroque-rococo cathedral located in the city of Lviv, the historic capital of western Ukraine. It was constructed between 1744-1760 on a hill overlooking the city. This is the third manifestation of a church to inhabit the site since the 13th century, and its prominence...
, beside the cathedral includes the Metropolitan's PalaceMetropolitan Palace, LvivThe Metropolitan Palace opposite St. George's Cathedral, Lviv has been the principal residence of the Metropolitans of the Ukrainian Greek-Catholic Church since the 16th century. The current building was erected in 1761-62 to Clement Fessinger's designs and displays traits of the transition from...
, capitular houses, belfry, and fence with two gates (Market's and City's)
Not part of the World Heritage Site
- Church of Carmelites, the BarefootedCarmelite Church, LvivThe Carmelite Church in Lviv was first mentioned in 1634 as the church of the monastery of the Barefoot Carmelites. In 1748 it was the scene of a notorious scuffle between the Carmelites and their neighbours, the Capuchins....
(today - Church of St.Michael) - Church and Nunnery of Carmelites, the BarefootedChurch of the Presentation, LvivThe Carmelite Convent was established in Lviv by Jakub Sobieski. Many particulars of its design were patterned after the Roman church of Santa Susanna. Its construction, commenced in 1642, was greatly delayed by the events of the Deluge. The Carmelites departed from the nunnery in 1792. It was...
(today - Church of Purification) - Church of Poor Clares (today - Museum of Sacral Baroque Sculpture)
- Church of St.Martin (today - Baptist Church)
- Church of Transfiguration
- Church of St.Casimir
- Lviv Theatre of Opera and Ballet
- Potocki Palace, LvivPotocki Palace, LvivThe Potocki Palace in Lviv was built in the 1880s as an urban seat of Alfred Józef Potocki, Minister-President of Austria. No cost was spared to make it the grandest nobleman's residence in the city....
, currently a residence of the President of UkrainePresident of UkrainePrior to the formation of the modern Ukrainian presidency, the previous Ukrainian head of state office was officially established in exile by Andriy Livytskyi. At first the de facto leader of nation was the president of the Central Rada at early years of the Ukrainian People's Republic, while the... - Commodity Stock Exchange
